Four Senior World medalists and many national champions headline women’s freestyle field at Senior Nationals
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Sarah Hildebrandt celebrates her semifinal win at the 2020 Pan American Olympic Qualifier in Canada. Photo by Tony Rotundo, Wrestlers are Warriors.
The USA Wrestling’s Senior Nationals will be held at the Xtream Arena & GreenState Family Fieldhouse in Coralville, Iowa, October 9-11. As the first domestic Senior-level competition since the start of the pandemic, this event is offering an opportunity for numerous top athletes to compete at a high level.
The women’s field, based upon entries prior to seeding, does not have huge brackets in some cases, the quality of the competition is outstanding. Some athletes will compete at their regular weight, while others have moved up, but every weight class will have some spectacular matches for fans to enjoy. It will be interesting to see which wrestlers have made advances during the shutdown.
We will point out the seeded athletes below, as well as a list of pre-registered wrestlers, understanding more wrestlers could join the field through late registration.
50 kg preview
This weight is stacked. 2018 World silver medalist Sarah Hildebrandt of the New York AC qualified the USA for the Tokyo Games at her new weight class, earning the No. 1 seed. .Hildebrandt reach the World finals at 53 kg, but moved down to 50 kg for the 2020 season. She
Two-time World bronze medalist Alyssa Lampe of the Sunkist Kids earned the No. 2 seed. Lampe had retired after the 2016 Olympic Trials, but won the Senior Nationals in Fort Worth, Texas in December 2019 to establish herself as a true Olympic Team contender again. One of Lampe’s World bronze medals came at 51 kg, so she is strong at 50 kg in comparison to others at the weight.
No. 3 seed Amy Fearnside of the Titan Mercury WC, a 2014 University World silver medalist, is currently No. 3 on the Senior National Team, the top ranked athlete on the current National Team. Since choosing to drop to 50 kg, she has beaten many of the top 50 kg athletes from the USA and around the world. Her top Senior Nationals performance was a third place at the most recent Senior Nationals in Fort Worth in December 2019.
Another big challenger is No. 4 seed Emily Shilson of the Titan Mercury WC, a 2018 Cadet World champion and a 2018 Youth Olympic Games title. Shilson won two college national titles, the WCWA event, as well as the NCWWC (NCAA-only) nationals.
The top four seeds all have qualified for the Olympic Trials, a preview of the action expected in April. All of the others are seeking to get better and qualify later in the season. Arelys Valles is perhaps the most experienced of the non-seeded athletes. Junnette Caldera is among the talented college athletes. Stefana Jelacic was among the top high school stars from last year who is moving on up into the Senior level.
50 kg pre-registered athletes/with seeds listed
Valerie Acosta, Rise Wrestling
Caryssa Aguirre, Panhandle Wrestling Club
Junnette Caldera
Samara Chavez Spartan Mat Club
Emma Cochran Grand View Wrestling Club
No. 3 Amy Fearnside, Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)
Charlotte Fowler
Amy Golding
No. 1 Sarah Hildebrandt, New York Athletic Club
Stefana Jelacic, Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club
No. 2 Alyssa Lampe, Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club
Trinity Rios, Florida Jets
No. 4 Emily Shilson, Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)
Arelys Valles, Grand View Wrestling Club
53 kg preview
No. 1 seed Katherine Shai, a veteran star and past University World champion, comes into Senior Nationals as the No. 2 on the National Team. While Shai took a little time away from the sport, she has been even stronger since her comeback. She easily has the most experience and achievements of the athletes at this weight class. Shai has been on the Senior National Team six different years. Although she has been a Senior Nationals runner-up numerous times, she seeks a first title at this event.
With tons of age-group international experience is No. 2 and 2015 Cadet World champion Ronna Heaton of the Sunkist Kids. Heaton was also a 2016 Cadet World silver medalist, and competed in the 2017 and 2018 Junior World Championships. Another top young star is No. 3 seed Alisha Howk of the Sunkist Kids. Howk was fourth and Heaton was fifth at the Senior Nationals held in Texas in December 2019. All three of the seeded wrestlers are already qualified for the Olympic Trials.
This weight has a low number, and could be a Nordic-system round robin, where all of the entries wrestle each other. If there are late entries, it could become a bracket. Heading into college this year is tough Camille Fourier, who was one of the top high school freestylers coming out of Texas.
53 kg pre-registered athletes/with seeds listed
Camille Fournier, Spartan Mat Club
No. 2 Ronna Heaton, Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club
No. 3 Alisha Howk, Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club
No. 1 Katherine Shai, Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)
Victoria Smith
57 kg preview
Two-time World silver medalist Alli Ragan of the Sunkist Kids is the top seed, and one of the most accomplished athletes in the entire women’s field in Coralville. She won her World silvers in 2016 and 2017 and competed in six Senior World Championships. Ragan also boasts three age-group World medals. Ragan will be competing at her Olympic weight class, 57 kg, after being the No. 1 for Team USA at 59 kg in 2019.
Her top challenger should be Lauren Louive, who is No. 2 on the National Team at 59 kg, after losing in the 2019 Final X to Ragan. Louive has not yet secured her spot at the Olympic Trials, and this event is not a Trials qualifier. Louive was a 2018 Senior Nationals runner-up, and has a number of medals on the international circuit.
Two of the young stars in the draw are Vayle Baker and Xochitl Mota-Pettis. Baker, who wrestled at Augsburg last season, was a two-time Cadet World Team member and boasts a number of age-group national titles. Mota-Pettis was ranked No. 1 in the nation when she was a Texas high school star, and also has an extensive age-group national resume.
57 kg pre-registered athletes/with seeds listed
Vayle Baker, Twin Cities Regional Training Center
Kairah Cantillo
Jasmine Davis, Panhandle Wrestling Club
Isabella Gonzalez, Grand View Wrestling Club
No. 2 Lauren Louive, New York Athletic Club
Xochitl Mota-Pettis, Rise Wrestling
Grace Pauls
Deanna Prince
No. 1 Alli Ragan, Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club
62 kg preview
This weight class had five athletes who pre-registered, and if there aren’t more late entries, it will be a Nordic-system round robin, where everybody wrestles everybody else. That said, the field is strong enough that four of them received a seed. This could be a wild scramble for the medals.
Seeded No. 1 Macey Kilty of the Sunkist Kids at 62 kg, a five-time age-group World medalist, who is also No. 3 on the Senior National Team ladder. She was a 2018 Cadet World champion. a U23 silver medalist in 2019, a two-time Junior World silver medalist (2018 and 2019) and a 2016 Cadet World bronze medalist. What she hasn’t yet won is a Senior Nationals titles.
The No. 2 and No. 3 seeds are both two-time Senior National champions, No. 2 Jennifer Page of the Titan Mercury WC and No. 3 Jackie Cataline of the Titan Mercury WC. Page won U.S. Open titles in 2014 and 2017, and was a Junior World bronze medalist in 2013. Cataline secured a pair of Senior National crowns in 2014 and 2016. Cataline has not been down to this weight since her days in high school, when she was already a Senior National Team member.
The No. 4 seed goes to Lexie Basham, who was among the top high school wrestlers in the nation hailing from Texas. Although not seeded, Bridgette Duty of the Patriot WC has been a tough college wrestler for the Univ. of the Cumberlands.
62 kg pre-registered athletes/with seeds listed
No. 4 Lexie Basham, Spartan Mat Club
No. 3 Jackie Cataline, Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)
Bridgette Duty, Patriot Wrestling Club
No. 1 Macey Kilty, Sunkist Kids Wrestling Academy
No. 2 Jennifer Page, Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)
68 kg preview
This weight had five pre-registered athletes, and each of them received a seed. If it remains at five entries, we would have a Nordic-system round robin, where they all face the other four opponents. If that happens, we will have another crazy scrap for the title.
The No. 1 seed is Forrest Molinari, who was fifth in the Senior World Championships two times at the non-Olympic 65 kg. Molinari moved up to 68 kg for the Senior Nationals in Texas in December 2019 and won the national title, the second straight year she won the Senior Nationals. She was also a 2018 Senior Nationals runner-up, and has competed on three age-group World Teams.
Also on the current Senior National Team is No. 2 seed Alexandria Glaude of the Titan Mercury WC, who was second to 2019 World champion Tamyra Mensah-Stock in the 2019 Final X. Glaude was a 2018 U23 World bronze medalist and 2017 Junior World Team member, She also won college national titles in 2019 and 2020 for McKendree.
Coming in at No. 3 seed is Rachel Watters of the New York AC, a 2018 Final X runner-up to Mensah-Stock. Watters won a WCWA college national title last year as a senior at Oklahoma City. She has competed at both the Junior Worlds and the U23 Worlds for Team USA, and has numerous age-group national titles. All of the top three seeds are already in the Olympic Trials.
No. 4 is Skylar Grote of the New York AC, who has actually won a college national title in Canada, where she attended Brock University. Grote was seventh in the Senior Nationals in Texas in December 2019, and has a number of other national achievements. At No. 5 is Marilyn Garcia, a 2019 NAIA National champion for Menlo College.
68 kg pre-registered athletes/with seeds listed
No. 5 Marilyn Garcia 68
No. 2 Alexandria Glaude 68 Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)
No. 4 Skylar Grote 68 New York Athletic Club
No. 1 Forrest Molinari 68 Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club
No. 3 Rachel Watters 68 New York Athletic Club
76 kg preview
There may be no women’s weight class at the Senior Nationals with more depth. Clearly the most accomplished athlete in the entire Senior Nationals is five-time World champion and seven-time World medalist Adeline Gray of the New York AC. Gray was also a 2016 Olympian, and boasts University and Junior World titles. She has dominated this weight class internationally and domestically for many years. Seeing Adeline Gray back on the mat for the first time since the pandemic hit will be a treat for U.S. fans.
Seeded second is Precious Bell of the Titan Mercury WC at 76 kg. Bell has won the title at the last two Senior Nationals, winning her stop sign trophy in April 2019 and December 2019. Bell was second in 2019 Final X, losing to Gray in the finals. She also competed in the 2019 U23 World Team.
The third seed is two-time Senior World Team member Victoria Francis of the Titan Mercury WC. Francis will be competing at 68 kg for the Olympic Trials, and made her first World Team at the highest weight class back in 2017. Francis fell to Gray in the finals of the 2016 Olympic Trials. She also won a 2014 Junior World bronze medal. Although she has competed at lower weights recently, Francis has proven she can win at this weight also.
The No. 4 seed is Dymond Guilford of the Titan Mercury WC, a Senior Nationals runner-up in 2019, where she lost to Bell in the finals. She won both WCWA and NAIA national titles for Missouri Baptist in 2019, and was a 2018 Junior World Team member. All four or the top seeds are already Olympic Trials qualifiers.
The No. 5 seed is Tristan Kelly, who was a 2018 Cadet World Team member and won of the nation’s top high school wrestlers last season out of Colorado. The No. 6 seed is Geneva Gray, who has been on the national circuit for a number of years. Another tough college wrestler in the draw is Alexandra Castillo.
76 kg pre-registered athletes/with seeds listed
No. 2 Precious Bell, Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)
Alexandra Castillo
No. 3 Victoria Francis, Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)
No. 6 Geneva Gray
No. 1 Adeline Gray, New York Athletic Club
No. 4 Dymond Guilford, Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)
No. 5 Tristan Kelly, Betterman Elite Wrestling
Samantha Springer
The USA Wrestling’s Senior Nationals will be held at the Xtream Arena & GreenState Family Fieldhouse in Coralville, Iowa, October 9-11. As the first domestic Senior-level competition since the start of the pandemic, this event is offering an opportunity for numerous top athletes to compete at a high level.
The women’s field, based upon entries prior to seeding, does not have huge brackets in some cases, the quality of the competition is outstanding. Some athletes will compete at their regular weight, while others have moved up, but every weight class will have some spectacular matches for fans to enjoy. It will be interesting to see which wrestlers have made advances during the shutdown.
We will point out the seeded athletes below, as well as a list of pre-registered wrestlers, understanding more wrestlers could join the field through late registration.
50 kg preview
This weight is stacked. 2018 World silver medalist Sarah Hildebrandt of the New York AC qualified the USA for the Tokyo Games at her new weight class, earning the No. 1 seed. .Hildebrandt reach the World finals at 53 kg, but moved down to 50 kg for the 2020 season. She
Two-time World bronze medalist Alyssa Lampe of the Sunkist Kids earned the No. 2 seed. Lampe had retired after the 2016 Olympic Trials, but won the Senior Nationals in Fort Worth, Texas in December 2019 to establish herself as a true Olympic Team contender again. One of Lampe’s World bronze medals came at 51 kg, so she is strong at 50 kg in comparison to others at the weight.
No. 3 seed Amy Fearnside of the Titan Mercury WC, a 2014 University World silver medalist, is currently No. 3 on the Senior National Team, the top ranked athlete on the current National Team. Since choosing to drop to 50 kg, she has beaten many of the top 50 kg athletes from the USA and around the world. Her top Senior Nationals performance was a third place at the most recent Senior Nationals in Fort Worth in December 2019.
Another big challenger is No. 4 seed Emily Shilson of the Titan Mercury WC, a 2018 Cadet World champion and a 2018 Youth Olympic Games title. Shilson won two college national titles, the WCWA event, as well as the NCWWC (NCAA-only) nationals.
The top four seeds all have qualified for the Olympic Trials, a preview of the action expected in April. All of the others are seeking to get better and qualify later in the season. Arelys Valles is perhaps the most experienced of the non-seeded athletes. Junnette Caldera is among the talented college athletes. Stefana Jelacic was among the top high school stars from last year who is moving on up into the Senior level.
50 kg pre-registered athletes/with seeds listed
Valerie Acosta, Rise Wrestling
Caryssa Aguirre, Panhandle Wrestling Club
Junnette Caldera
Samara Chavez Spartan Mat Club
Emma Cochran Grand View Wrestling Club
No. 3 Amy Fearnside, Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)
Charlotte Fowler
Amy Golding
No. 1 Sarah Hildebrandt, New York Athletic Club
Stefana Jelacic, Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club
No. 2 Alyssa Lampe, Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club
Trinity Rios, Florida Jets
No. 4 Emily Shilson, Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)
Arelys Valles, Grand View Wrestling Club
53 kg preview
No. 1 seed Katherine Shai, a veteran star and past University World champion, comes into Senior Nationals as the No. 2 on the National Team. While Shai took a little time away from the sport, she has been even stronger since her comeback. She easily has the most experience and achievements of the athletes at this weight class. Shai has been on the Senior National Team six different years. Although she has been a Senior Nationals runner-up numerous times, she seeks a first title at this event.
With tons of age-group international experience is No. 2 and 2015 Cadet World champion Ronna Heaton of the Sunkist Kids. Heaton was also a 2016 Cadet World silver medalist, and competed in the 2017 and 2018 Junior World Championships. Another top young star is No. 3 seed Alisha Howk of the Sunkist Kids. Howk was fourth and Heaton was fifth at the Senior Nationals held in Texas in December 2019. All three of the seeded wrestlers are already qualified for the Olympic Trials.
This weight has a low number, and could be a Nordic-system round robin, where all of the entries wrestle each other. If there are late entries, it could become a bracket. Heading into college this year is tough Camille Fourier, who was one of the top high school freestylers coming out of Texas.
53 kg pre-registered athletes/with seeds listed
Camille Fournier, Spartan Mat Club
No. 2 Ronna Heaton, Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club
No. 3 Alisha Howk, Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club
No. 1 Katherine Shai, Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)
Victoria Smith
57 kg preview
Two-time World silver medalist Alli Ragan of the Sunkist Kids is the top seed, and one of the most accomplished athletes in the entire women’s field in Coralville. She won her World silvers in 2016 and 2017 and competed in six Senior World Championships. Ragan also boasts three age-group World medals. Ragan will be competing at her Olympic weight class, 57 kg, after being the No. 1 for Team USA at 59 kg in 2019.
Her top challenger should be Lauren Louive, who is No. 2 on the National Team at 59 kg, after losing in the 2019 Final X to Ragan. Louive has not yet secured her spot at the Olympic Trials, and this event is not a Trials qualifier. Louive was a 2018 Senior Nationals runner-up, and has a number of medals on the international circuit.
Two of the young stars in the draw are Vayle Baker and Xochitl Mota-Pettis. Baker, who wrestled at Augsburg last season, was a two-time Cadet World Team member and boasts a number of age-group national titles. Mota-Pettis was ranked No. 1 in the nation when she was a Texas high school star, and also has an extensive age-group national resume.
57 kg pre-registered athletes/with seeds listed
Vayle Baker, Twin Cities Regional Training Center
Kairah Cantillo
Jasmine Davis, Panhandle Wrestling Club
Isabella Gonzalez, Grand View Wrestling Club
No. 2 Lauren Louive, New York Athletic Club
Xochitl Mota-Pettis, Rise Wrestling
Grace Pauls
Deanna Prince
No. 1 Alli Ragan, Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club
62 kg preview
This weight class had five athletes who pre-registered, and if there aren’t more late entries, it will be a Nordic-system round robin, where everybody wrestles everybody else. That said, the field is strong enough that four of them received a seed. This could be a wild scramble for the medals.
Seeded No. 1 Macey Kilty of the Sunkist Kids at 62 kg, a five-time age-group World medalist, who is also No. 3 on the Senior National Team ladder. She was a 2018 Cadet World champion. a U23 silver medalist in 2019, a two-time Junior World silver medalist (2018 and 2019) and a 2016 Cadet World bronze medalist. What she hasn’t yet won is a Senior Nationals titles.
The No. 2 and No. 3 seeds are both two-time Senior National champions, No. 2 Jennifer Page of the Titan Mercury WC and No. 3 Jackie Cataline of the Titan Mercury WC. Page won U.S. Open titles in 2014 and 2017, and was a Junior World bronze medalist in 2013. Cataline secured a pair of Senior National crowns in 2014 and 2016. Cataline has not been down to this weight since her days in high school, when she was already a Senior National Team member.
The No. 4 seed goes to Lexie Basham, who was among the top high school wrestlers in the nation hailing from Texas. Although not seeded, Bridgette Duty of the Patriot WC has been a tough college wrestler for the Univ. of the Cumberlands.
62 kg pre-registered athletes/with seeds listed
No. 4 Lexie Basham, Spartan Mat Club
No. 3 Jackie Cataline, Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)
Bridgette Duty, Patriot Wrestling Club
No. 1 Macey Kilty, Sunkist Kids Wrestling Academy
No. 2 Jennifer Page, Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)
68 kg preview
This weight had five pre-registered athletes, and each of them received a seed. If it remains at five entries, we would have a Nordic-system round robin, where they all face the other four opponents. If that happens, we will have another crazy scrap for the title.
The No. 1 seed is Forrest Molinari, who was fifth in the Senior World Championships two times at the non-Olympic 65 kg. Molinari moved up to 68 kg for the Senior Nationals in Texas in December 2019 and won the national title, the second straight year she won the Senior Nationals. She was also a 2018 Senior Nationals runner-up, and has competed on three age-group World Teams.
Also on the current Senior National Team is No. 2 seed Alexandria Glaude of the Titan Mercury WC, who was second to 2019 World champion Tamyra Mensah-Stock in the 2019 Final X. Glaude was a 2018 U23 World bronze medalist and 2017 Junior World Team member, She also won college national titles in 2019 and 2020 for McKendree.
Coming in at No. 3 seed is Rachel Watters of the New York AC, a 2018 Final X runner-up to Mensah-Stock. Watters won a WCWA college national title last year as a senior at Oklahoma City. She has competed at both the Junior Worlds and the U23 Worlds for Team USA, and has numerous age-group national titles. All of the top three seeds are already in the Olympic Trials.
No. 4 is Skylar Grote of the New York AC, who has actually won a college national title in Canada, where she attended Brock University. Grote was seventh in the Senior Nationals in Texas in December 2019, and has a number of other national achievements. At No. 5 is Marilyn Garcia, a 2019 NAIA National champion for Menlo College.
68 kg pre-registered athletes/with seeds listed
No. 5 Marilyn Garcia 68
No. 2 Alexandria Glaude 68 Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)
No. 4 Skylar Grote 68 New York Athletic Club
No. 1 Forrest Molinari 68 Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club
No. 3 Rachel Watters 68 New York Athletic Club
76 kg preview
There may be no women’s weight class at the Senior Nationals with more depth. Clearly the most accomplished athlete in the entire Senior Nationals is five-time World champion and seven-time World medalist Adeline Gray of the New York AC. Gray was also a 2016 Olympian, and boasts University and Junior World titles. She has dominated this weight class internationally and domestically for many years. Seeing Adeline Gray back on the mat for the first time since the pandemic hit will be a treat for U.S. fans.
Seeded second is Precious Bell of the Titan Mercury WC at 76 kg. Bell has won the title at the last two Senior Nationals, winning her stop sign trophy in April 2019 and December 2019. Bell was second in 2019 Final X, losing to Gray in the finals. She also competed in the 2019 U23 World Team.
The third seed is two-time Senior World Team member Victoria Francis of the Titan Mercury WC. Francis will be competing at 68 kg for the Olympic Trials, and made her first World Team at the highest weight class back in 2017. Francis fell to Gray in the finals of the 2016 Olympic Trials. She also won a 2014 Junior World bronze medal. Although she has competed at lower weights recently, Francis has proven she can win at this weight also.
The No. 4 seed is Dymond Guilford of the Titan Mercury WC, a Senior Nationals runner-up in 2019, where she lost to Bell in the finals. She won both WCWA and NAIA national titles for Missouri Baptist in 2019, and was a 2018 Junior World Team member. All four or the top seeds are already Olympic Trials qualifiers.
The No. 5 seed is Tristan Kelly, who was a 2018 Cadet World Team member and won of the nation’s top high school wrestlers last season out of Colorado. The No. 6 seed is Geneva Gray, who has been on the national circuit for a number of years. Another tough college wrestler in the draw is Alexandra Castillo.
76 kg pre-registered athletes/with seeds listed
No. 2 Precious Bell, Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)
Alexandra Castillo
No. 3 Victoria Francis, Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)
No. 6 Geneva Gray
No. 1 Adeline Gray, New York Athletic Club
No. 4 Dymond Guilford, Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)
No. 5 Tristan Kelly, Betterman Elite Wrestling
Samantha Springer
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